Halo Jarhead Chapter 6
by Cursed Saint
Summary: It is revealed where it is that Master Gunnery Sergeant Marco has gone, and Lieutenant Sykes life changes forever.


**Chapter 6:**

Master Gunnery Sergeant James Marco rubbed his freshly shaven tan head as he got used to the feel of Marine green fatigues once again. Although the uniform didn't sport his normal stripes, or any indication as to his identity, he felt comfortable in a way that he hadn't in weeks. All he knew was that he was taken from the detention center and brought to the place where he now sat, not allowed to see anything that would have given away the bases location. He knew that this was ONI, it was the only explanation.

The door opened and two men entered fully armed and wearing the combat gear that told Marco that they were ODSTs. Both had Assault Rifles pointed towards the ground but still at the ready, was this his firing squad? No couldn't be. If they wanted him dead then they would have made it public, not gone through the trouble of secretly removing him from the detention center, cleaning him up, and giving him new fatigues. This was something else.

Just as these thoughts passed through his mind, a beautiful woman walked into the room; she wore a gray Navy uniform with the markings of a Commander and on her sleeve the symbol of ONI. "Hello Master Gunnery Sergeant Marco, my name is Commander Jillian al-Cygni." The woman said, as she sat down in the chair on the other side of the table.

"It's a pleasure ma'am. But I must ask, what am I doing here?"

"Well Gunny, you are being given a choice."

"A choice?"

"We have listened to the conversation that you had with First Lieutenant Sykes, and that conversation lead us to believe that you would rather die fighting the Covenant, than in a cell for attempted murder and mutiny." The woman said as she set her tablet on the table. "So are we correct in that assumption?"

"Yes ma'am. I'd kill all of those bastards if I could."

"Good, now I'm here to offer you a position on a very dangerous mission that will be happening at an unknown location, with a group that doesn't exist."

"I don't follow." Marco said as he squinted and looked annoyed by the cryptic comment.

"You would be part of a secret mission that's focus is behind enemy lines to cause havoc where the Covenant lives."

"So you want me to be part of a strike team?"

"Not exactly. I want you to be the head of the Strike Teams Support Team."

"So if regulars are the support then you're sending ODSTs?"

"Have you ever heard of a Spartan?" Al-Cygni asked as she turned on her tablet.

"Greek soldiers, the best of their time. Great strategies and tactics; we're still taught their history in boot camp so as to give us a basic understanding of their strategies and tactics."

"Well you're right; those are the Spartans of old. However, these Spartans that I am talking about are special soldiers who make ODSTs look like toy soldiers." As she said this, Marco looked over her soldier at the two ODSTs who stood on either side of the door as they squirmed under their armor, and were undoubtedly cursing the commander for making such a claim.

"So they are the Strike Team?"

"Yes, and they are going to be the commanding officers of the mission. All three are Second Petty Officers, and all three have specialized missions which you will know nothing about."

"So what will I do then?"

"You will be the Support Team Leader and will command a platoon of Marines. When needed you will provide support and cover to the Strike Team as needed."

"So, just like that you would let me go and do this? I did try to kill an Admiral you know?" Marco replied shocked that they would offer such an assignment to a man who was looked at by many as a traitor.

"Well this mission is secret and all of your platoon will be inmates like yourself. All of whom have experience in the field and have fought the Covenant before. We need people who no one will miss. I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but you apply to that category." She said coldly as she tapped a command in on her tablet. "So the question is. Will you take the mission? Or death?"

"What, you'll kill me if I don't say yes?"

"What we have just told you is very sensitive information about things that you, otherwise, never would have heard about. That being said, we can't even take a chance on an inmate knowing about our plan, nor about the Spartan Program. So the only other option is to kill you." She said coldly.

"Well, since I'm probably going to die anyways, I might as well take some of those Covenant bastards with me." Marco said after a moment of thinking. He wasn't really thinking about it. He knew what he wanted to do and he was willing to play by the spooks rules to do it.

"Good I'm glad to hear it. Now, would you like to meet your men?" She asked. Her face showed the slightest hint of emotion, but her voice was colder than Siberia.

"Yes ma'am, I most certainly would." Marco rose from his chair and walked out of the room with al-Cygni. He was going to see combat again, and this time he was going to kill every Covenant he could get his hands on.

Jai-006 put on his helmet and turned to see Chief Petty Officer John-117 standing behind him. Jai quickly snapped a salute to his commanding officer.

"At ease, Jai." John said as he returned the salute. "I just wanted to wish you luck on your mission."

"Thank you, sir." Jai said as he looked at the commander in his green armor.

"Are Adriana and Mike ready to go?" John asked changing the subject in order to avoid the silence.

"Yes sir, they have already made it aboard the Prowler and are waiting for me."

"Well, there isn't much more to say other than do us proud."

"Will do, sir." Jai said as he went to salute again and saw that John had extended his hand to shake the other Spartans hand. Although they weren't necessarily close, the two had grown up together and as being the best in the group John had always looked at Jai as his little brother, and that hand shake was his way of letting his family go as he had those who had washed out of the program.

"Dismissed." John said, as Jai leaned over and retrieved his duffle bags, which contained everything from weapons to repair equipment. Jai walked out of the facility, where he had spent the majority of his childhood, and felt as though he was leaving home and never would see it again.

Marco walked down the hallway of the Prowler, which would be his home for the rest of his life, when he saw a giant walk in with amazing gray body armor on. At first the Marine didn't know how to react but he quickly decided it was best to stop and salute. The soldier stopped and returned the salute and Marco could see three digits painted on the soldiers chest they read 111.

"What's your name Marine?" A woman's voice asked from inside the armor as she lowered her hand.

"Master Gunnery Sergeant James Marco Ma'am, Commander of the Marine platoon on board." Marco said amazed at the fact that a woman would be so large as to live in such armor.

"Nice to meet you, Sergeant. I'm Second Petty Officer Adriana-111. So, how did you get stuck with this detail?" The woman asked changing the subject to something more laxed so as to help her subordinate forget the fact that she was his superior to spite the fact that his official NCO rank had been higher, but that was before he attempted to kill Wetherbee.

"I was in prison and they told me that it was either this or death."

"Well I'm not sure if this is going to be much better Gunny."

"Oh yes it will ma'am, as long as I get to take some Covenant with me, I will be more than satisfied." As he said this the cargo bay door opened and another of the armor clad warriors walked into the corridor. Both Marco and Adriana turned and saluted Jai as he approached.

"Sir," Adriana said quickly.

"At ease," Jai said as he approached at a casual speed. "And you must be Marco?"

"Yes, Sir." Marco said surprised that the seven foot tall walking tank knew his name.

"I'm Second Petty Officer Jai-006. I'm in command of this vessel and you are my Marine commander, correct."

"Yes, Sir."

"Good, there will be a Staff meeting at 1100 hours and I want you to be there."

"Yes Sir." Marco answered feeling like a recording that repeated the same two words over and over again.

"Good. Adriana, where is Mike?" He said turning his attention to his direct subordinate.

"On the bridge, Sir. You know how he is about ships."

"Yes I do. Well then let's go to the bridge."

Marco saluted the two giants as they turned and walked away from him. So these were the Spartans? They were the type of thing that he would have seen in some old mythology book, not here, at least so he thought. This was going to be something that would test him as a Marine, and as a human, but he had nothing to lose.

"Is this about Natalie?" Sykes asked, as he looked at the woman who was more a mystery than an intimidation.

"No Lieutenant, although I am aware of your "Relationship" I'm not here to give you any problems about it. Although I'm certain her uncle would like to have a word with you if of course he is even aware of the fact that you are having sex with his niece. And if it was affecting her work then I suppose I would be the one who would push him to that point myself." Halsey said as she placed her data pad down on the table.

"So you know but Doctor Lang doesn't?"

"Correct."

"Well did she tell you? Or are you spying on her? Or Me?" Sykes said as he straightened up with the thought that someone may have been watching him.

"No she didn't mention it to me. It's true I do spy on her regularly, well rather my friends at ONI do. However she knows all about it, its standard operating procedure after all." Halsey said plainly as she began to tap commands in on her tablet.

"So you don't have any problem with what we are doing?" Sykes said more surprised than relieved.

"Not at all, Natalie Lang is a very promising scientist who has proven her worth. In fact her work has been even better lately, however that is just as normal as the lust that began your relationship." Halsey said calmly. "After all, humans have needs."

"Okay then if this isn't about Natalie and I, then what is it about?"

"This." Halsey said as she punched one last button and an image appeared on the screen of a creature that was all too familiar. "Do you recognize this creature Lieutenant?"

"Yes ma'am I do. That's the same kind of monster I killed twice on Oasis, That's the Covenant Ghost." Sykes said as he examined the image closer discovering that this wasn't one that he had killed. "Who got this one?"

"Your new commander Captain Jeffery Wallace, in a mission that I am not at liberty to discuss."

"So the Captain is here already?"

"No."

"Well then how do you have this Intel?"

"That is another issue of which I cannot disclose to you. However I can tell you this, they are no more Ghosts than you or me. We have placed them as being part of the covenant known as the Elite."

"What is their position in the hierarchy?" Sykes asked quickly as he loosened up and examined the picture even closer. He had been aware that there was a hierarchy in the Covenant, but all that was known of it thus far was that of three races. The Drones, Grunts, and Jackals. This however was something that scared him and fascinated him at the same time.

"Right to the point when it comes to Intel. I like that. Well to answer your question we believe that they are close to the top of the pyramid of power, at least a lot closer than the ones that we have identified so far. Now tell me have you ever seen this?" Halsey pushed down on her tablet once again and the appearance of a large beast appeared on the screen, it was hideous and covered in fur with large tusks and a gorilla like face, the image immediately reminded him of the old stories of a creature called Big Foot he once read about in an old book.

"I've never seen anything like it. What is it?"

"I wish we knew, all we know is that they are close if not farther up the chain from the Elites. They were the ones who led the attack on Harvest." Halsey said as she looked up from her tablet at the Lieutenant. She was surprised with what she saw in his eyes, it was a fierce look that imitated fire and made her feel intimidated. "I'm sorry Lieutenant, I had forgotten that…"

"That I was born on Harvest? And that these things are the reason why my parents and all of my father's family are dead? It's alright ma'am, it's just that it's still a tender subject." Sykes had found himself no longer fearing these creatures but wanting to hunt them down and killing all of them. "Have they been seen since?" Sykes asked half shaking off the rage that had built up in his chest.

"No, either these ones were the last or they lost favor and are sidelined. Those who survived Harvest said they were very powerful and that leads me to believe that it's the latter that caused their departure from the battlefield." Halsey said as she noticed that Sykes was beginning to calm down.

"Did they kill any of them?"

"Yes they did, with great difficulty, but yes."

"I apologize for my outburst. Please don't dwell on this monster on my account." Sykes said as he worked to slow his breath and bring his emotions back under control.

"We have all lost someone to the covenant Lieutenant, you and Franklin have lost nearly everything. But I agree we should continue." She pushed another command into her tablet and another image appeared on the screen, this one more familiar. "And I am well aware that you know what this is."

"Yes ma'am, that's a Jackal. The NCOs of the covenant as near as we can tell."

"Correct. And these?" She said as she pushed another command in and the image changed to that of a Grunt.

"Grunts, they are Cannon Fodder, only an issue when they come at you in large numbers. We aim for the triangular containers on their backs, they're filled with methane and when they are hit then they can't breathe. A favorable tactic for dealing with the little bastards." Sykes said now focusing on the job at hand and ignoring his personal feeling.

"Correct, and these?" She said as she continued typing in commands.

"Is this a test Doctor?" Sykes said as the image of a drone appeared on the screen.

"I guess you could call it that, I prefer to look at it as re-familiarization. Well what is this one?" She said as she showed a slight smirk in the corner of her slightly wrinkled mouth.

"It's a drone; they are insect like with wings. They are harmless as a single fighter, much like the Grunts. However when in teams they are an enemy that can level an entire Platoon with their sky advantage and ability to attack without mercy. They are also a lot harder to kill then a Grunt is." Sykes said as he mirrored the good doctor's smirk.

"You do know your enemy Lieutenant, I will give you that. I needed to verify that this was the same creature that you had killed. Now I leave you with the knowledge that may assist you in retraining your company." She stood up and collected her tablet. "Oh, and I must complement you on your reflexes. From what I understand the Elites are very fast, and by all logic you never should have beaten either of them."

"Ma'am, how do you know my Uncle?"

"He and I used to work together."

"Thank you, I was just wondering."

"You're welcome. Oh and some advice, don't keep Natalie waiting. She isn't the patient type." She pulled up her tablet and pressed a few buttons and then looked back at Sykes. "And she is seven blocks from your house now."

"Yes ma'am."

"Oh and remember that I warned you, She is a heartbreaker. But then again she has never gone after a Marine before." Halsey said as she smiled. "Good luck Lieutenant Sykes."

"Thank you Doctor Halsey." Sykes said as he reached out and shook the woman's hand. This briefing had unraveled a large amount for Sykes. He had learned that his new CO was strong enough to take down some of the same bastards that had taken so many lives back on Oasis. He had learned a little more about his Uncle and Natalie. But most of all he was now able to put a face on the monsters that attacked Harvest. He now knew what he would devote the rest of his life to destroying every one of them that he could.

Jai and Adriana walked onto the bridge to find Mike without his helmet on working away at the controls of the ship.

"What's our status Mike?" Jai said as he approached his fellow Spartan.

"Ready for departure, Sir. What's the status on those coordinates Kit?" As Mike said this an image appeared on the Holoprojector. A man with sun-tanned skin wearing buckskins and carrying an old musket appeared on the screen.

"We are a go for 37-26-92. On your mark Jai." Kit was the ships AI and he was very good at what he did. Given their mission ONI had decided it was best to send them out with a Smart AI. Kit was fresh from the RND department and was the top of his class when it came to navigation and space bound combat. And the ONI Prowler _Resolution_ was to be his charge.

"Then make it so. Mike we have a staff meeting to attend."

"Yes Sir." Mike said as he sadly rose from the pilot seat and pointed to one of the techs on the bridge to take over. He reached down beside the chair and retrieved his helmet, which he quickly snapped on and fell into line behind Jai and Adriana as they walked off the bridge and towards the conference room.

Marco sat in the conference room that was filled with mostly Naval personnel with the exception of two other Marines. It was a plain room with gray walls and dim lighting that made the eyes relax beyond preference. The long table that was in front of him was polished to perfection and had a holoprojector in the middle of it. Marco observed all of the men and women in the room and realized that none of them were wearing anything that would show any form of rank. Either they were all former prisoners or they were the lowest grade given to their respected division. Just as he thought this, the door opened and three Spartan's in full armor walked in and stood in front of the empty chairs at the head of the Table. All of the others at the table rose and saluted as Jai raised his hand and signaled for all of them to be seated. They were a sight to see, three giants equipped with full body armor and a gold visor which prevented their faces from being seen. "I am Second Petty Officer Jai 006. This ship is under my command and so are all of you. I know that I am not an officer and that some of you used to be, but you shall obey my orders without question. Am I understood?" All the people in the room responded almost simultaneously with a nod. "Good, now let me introduce the rest of the people in this room. These two Spartans are Second Petty Officers Adriana 111, and Mike 027; they are my direct subordinates and will be the coordinators between the two divisions of the crew. Adriana will be in direct command of all Marines, and Mike in command of Naval Personnel. Now let me introduce those of you in the room. Former Ensign Salomon helmsmen, Former Lieutenant Oshida Tactical Officer, Former Ensign Laramie Communications, Former Lieutenant Commander Brier Engineering, Former Ensign Kale Ops, and Former Lieutenant Seron cloaking officer. Now as for the Marines, we have Former Master Gunnery Sergeant Marco head of the platoon, and his two direct subordinates Former Master Sergeant Delmar and Former Gunnery Sergeant Klane. You will all report directly to the Spartan who is in charge of you and they will coordinate my orders to you. Although you are no longer technically holding a position in the military you will be respected for your rank and referred to in that chain of command however not when it comes to the Spartan's, we are in charge. If the time comes where we are all gone on a mission then we will place the command in the care of our ships AI, and that being said allow me to introduce Kit our ship Smart AI."

The Holoprojector switched on and produced the small image of what appeared to be a mountain man from Earth in the mid 1800's. He was dressed in brown buckskins and wore an old hat, in his hand he cradled a musket and on his belt he had a Bowie Knife. "Hello and welcome to the _Resolution_, I am Kit the AI assigned to this ship. If you require any assistance feel free to ask at any time, as a smart AI I am capable of multitasking on a level that no human ever will and that being said I am always available."

"Thank You Kit." Jai said as Kit turned and tipped his hat to his commander and disappeared into the holoprojector. "Now that we have gone over all of the basics and assignments, I will inform you of our mission. We have been given the job of going behind enemy lines and causing destruction in any way that we can. As the crew of this ship, all of you are our support team. The Navy in a sense of keeping the ship operational and flying the pelicans needed to transport all of us. The marines in a more direct sense, when we may need more guns on the ground. We are headed towards the planet known as Nebeira formerly held by the UNSC and currently under occupation by the Covenant. We will remain cloaked and will make our determination on the proper course of action, whether it be attacking the planet in a coordinated fashion or following a covenant ship as best we can to the location where we may find a more valuable target."

Everyone in the room remained quiet as the Spartan declared the mission and the parameters by which they would be working, most of them in the room weren't shocked in the least but a few of the Naval crew looked a bit shifty about the whole thing. "As for conserving supplies, all personnel who are not essential to the mission at this time will be put in Cryo-Sleep in order to maximize reserve supplies. Alright you have all been given your orders now report to your direct commander and receive your instructions." Jai turned and walked out of the room and all the personnel in the room got up and immediately formed lines in front of the Spartan who they were under the command of.

"Well marines, I believe that it's obvious that you are all going into the freezer." Adriana said as she looked at Marco and the other two marines.

"What about the rest of the marine's ma'am?" Marco asked quickly.

"You have five hours to introduce yourselves and organize them into fire teams. After that it's into the deep freeze. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am." The three marines said simultaneously.

"Well then get to it." Adriana said and turned and walked out of the door.

Marco could see that Mike was going to have the most difficult job as he went through the specifics of each job with the man who was in charge of that department. Marco turned to his subordinates and looked them over. "Well as the Second Petty Officer said, I'm Former Master Gunnery Sergeant James Marco. I'm not a tough man to live with as long as you don't piss me off. Now what do you all say that we go over the Intel about the marines that we have to work with and devise the teams so that they make the most sense."

"Yes Sir." The two men said at the same time. As the three left the room and proceeded down the hall to the Marine quarters.

This was going to be a tough mission but at least it was that, a mission and not a firing squad.

The car pulled up to the small house depositing Lieutenant Sykes on the sidewalk outside. He quickly walked up to the door and just as he was about to grip the handle the door swung open. "She didn't put you all the way through the ringer did she?" Natalie said as she stood in the doorway looking at her lover.

"More of a Zoological lesson than anything else." Sykes said as he moved in and gave her a kiss grabbed her hand and both entered the home.

"So it was Halsey then?" Natalie asked as she handed him a beer.

"Yeah, but how did you know?" Sykes responded as he took a drink of the cold liquid.

"Oh the same way that I found out where you lived the first time. I can be very resourceful if I need to be."

"I never would have guessed." Sykes said sarcastically as he sat down on his couch and took another swig of his beer.

"Says the leatherneck? Maybe you could figure it out. If it was anything like taking apart a gun, or snapping a neck with one motion." She said as she sat down next to him.

"Well I'd like to see an ONI Egg-head like you take out a mark from 1000 meters without zooming in the lenses on the sniper rifle." He said in response to the fake insult. The two had taken on this habit of acting like they were fighting or insulting one another even when they weren't; it was fun for them and made them both feel more secure with one another.

"So what was the conversation about?"

"She said that your work is suffering because you spend every waking moment thinking about me."

"Very funny, honestly what was it really about?"

"She was briefing me on what they had discovered of the new covenant species we encountered on Oasis."

"What was it?"

"She identified it as the Elite class, apparently something like the Officers of the group."

"Well that would explain why they have nicer toys then wouldn't it?"

"Yeah I guess it would."

"What else did you find out?"

"Well that you are being followed every waking minute."

"Oh, that's just standard ONI procedure when someone lives outside the compound."

"Oh, so now you are living here?" Sykes said jokingly as he sipped his beer. The truth was that he loved having her around; there was something about her that made him feel more optimistic about the world. At times like these that was a luxury, and even if he had to take the great plunge he would just to keep that feeling in his life.

"Well if that's how you feel." Natalie said as she moved to get up. Sykes quickly placed his beer on the table, wrapped one arm around her waist and drew her in close to him as he kissed her deeply.

"Don't play a game of sarcasm unless you want that kind of a response honey."

"Oh, so its honey now?"

"Well I assumed as much, unless you object to this becoming official."

"I don't know, it's possible. But you will have to persuade me."

"I think that can be arranged." Sykes moved in and kissed her again and began to persuade her.

Several hours Later the Lieutenant awoke from his sleep haunted by what he had been shown by Halsey in the briefing. The thought of those giant apes slaughtering his mother, father, and nearly everyone he knew was enough to make even a sleep that was induced by the most strenuous activity not possible.

He looked down at Natalie who was still fast asleep by his side, slowly, so as not to wake her, he slipped his arm out from under her neck and put his feet on the floor. The two had agreed that a relationship was both logical and what both desired out of what they had started the week before. This was a large risk in its self since Sykes always had trouble with relationships and could barely keep a girlfriend much less live with one. But with Natalie it was different; he could see himself doing things with her that he had sworn of as being things he would never do. To all the rules he had made for himself and those that he let get close, he was willing to abandon them for her and that's something he wasn't scared of doing.

Sykes stood up and quietly walked out of the room and over to the bar he had installed in his living room. He searched for the bottle of whiskey he used to do away with such things as this image of a horrifying monster that was stuck in his thought. He wanted revenge; he wanted to slaughter the ones who had destroyed his home planet. He grabbed a glass and filled it only to empty it into his system immediately after. He had a week of peaceful sleep and then he gets plagued by another beast, which is just as horrible if not worse than that which he had dealt with before Natalie arrived.

"What's wrong Will?" Natalie asked from the doorway. She was just as beautiful standing there in the doorway with only his T-Shirt on and her hair draped in an un-uniform but still pleasant way.

As he turned to look at her he felt the pain of what he was feeling dull, and he was no longer thinking about the monster as much as he was her. "Nothing honey, just thinking."

"Well don't hurt yourself leatherneck." She said as she walked up to him and threw her arm around his neck, giving him a kiss on the cheek and sitting on the side of the bar. "And what have you been thinking about?"

"Something Halsey showed me."

"What the "Elite" from Oasis?"

"No, something else. Are you familiar with all the types of creatures in the Covenant?"

"Well almost all of them, we are told a great deal about physiology and anatomy of their kind so as to make more efficient weapons and technology. Why?"

"Are you familiar with the creatures that attacked Harvest?" Sykes said, as he looked her dead in the eye.

"So she showed you the monster."

"They killed my family Natalie."

"I know, and I know why it is that it's bothering you so much. You're a marine, you want to kill it and everything associated with it."

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Sorry, but it doesn't take a psychiatrist to figure out what motivates you. It's been your motivation all along; just now you have a face to target instead of a group of different ones."

"So is that good or bad?"

"I don't know you're the marine I'm just a scientist who's falling for you."

"I've been thinking about that to."

"What? Changing your mind?"

"Not at all, you know next week I have to return to duty and go back to the barracks right?"

"Yes."

"Well why don't you just move in here?"

"And stay while you are gone?"

"Well the place would just be empty anyways, besides I'm sure you will be a lot more comfortable here than in an ONI on base apartment."

"You're really sure about this?"

"Absolutely." Sykes was beginning to see life in a way where he craved connection and Natalie was the first step towards it.

Cryo-sleep was the only time where Marco was able to sleep without waking up scared out of his mind with the nightmares that he saw as his eyes would close. Not surprising though, given the fact that Cryo-sleep was induced and maintained. Marco may have looked like a frozen corpse but his mind still played the story of his life.

"Toni!" "Toni!" A young voice said, as it seemed that Marco's eyes were opening from a deep sleep.

"It's okay Jimmy, I'm here." The voice of a woman said from somewhere out of his line of sight.

"Where are we Toni?" The voice said as Marco's view began to shift and looked out the window of the moving Taxi.

"We are almost safe. Just like I promised you we would be." Marco's view changed again as it began to pan to the right. He saw the inside of the automated Taxi, and in the seat next to him he saw a teenage girl but she seemed to be bigger than him.

"Will he find us?" The child said. Marco now remembered this and who it was that he was looking at. As he felt the urge to scream he was unable to do so, he could only replay this day from the night when he was seven years old and his sister Toni Marco had grabbed her brother and escaped from their father's abusive wrath.

"Quiet Jimmy, we will be there in a few hours. Now go back to sleep." The beautiful sixteen year old girl was gorgeous with her soft brown hair and tanned skin, she was the closest thing to a mother James had ever known. His father was a drunk who had taken on the part of a child abusing single parent. James and Toni's mother had ran off only a year after giving birth to James and the void left in James's heart from her disappearance was something that couldn't be filled. His father was a drunken beast, or at least that's all James ever knew of him, he was just a man who always screamed and would hit you for no reason. Toni had made the decision that there was no way she would allow either of them to live there any longer. They both escaped one night after their father had passed out from his drunken vices; Toni had taken all the things they would need. Credits, clothes, and their fathers service pistol, which she had tucked away in their suit case. "Everything will be okay once we get to Junction, I promise. I will get a job and you will go to school, and he will never take us back… Do you hear me Jimmy?"

"Yes Toni. Toni?"

"What Jimmy?"

"What are we gonna do? How are we gonna survive?"

"Don't worry Jimmy, I'll find a job and we will be okay."

She was a beautiful girl, and even at that age it caused James to fear what sort of job she might get in order to ensure their safety and survival. He was right to worry, because that was exactly her plan.

Years later James was coming home from school when he saw lights flashing in the streets ahead, he knew these signs all too well. These were the signs of another Insurrectionist attack, the likes of which were well known all throughout the outer colonies like Madrigal. James was now fifteen and had been living in Junction using the name James Willis; the life that he had lived at this time was what he thought of always. It wasn't as though he had forgotten the life that he and Toni had lived with their father; it was exactly the opposite for he could remember every syllable that was screamed at him and every bruise that was inflicted. He had found friends in Junction, friends who didn't ask why he lived with his sister and not his parents, although such things were rather common in that area of Junction given the fact that it was the slums known as the lower quarter.

As James approached the explosion site he saw the large Elephant that had been detonated, it was only a twist of metal with a large hole punched through the center. All the plastic had been melted away from its original instillation position and was now in various puddles around the site where it had begun to solidify. The image of black plastic body bags on the ground wasn't rare in these attacks; in fact it was a consistent trait that could be seen in almost all of them. These were not the people who were in the vehicle however, these were the unfortunate souls who were just passing by at the time the detonation occurred everyone who was inside the elephant was vaporized by the detonation and anyone within a square block of the location was dead. This was only a prelude to what James would see time and time again throughout his childhood, and an example of what would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Toni had started her job at the brothel a week after they had arrived in Junction and she did so without a second thought. Sure there was government aid and other jobs she could have gotten, but none where she could maintain her fake identity and avoid her father tracking her through. James was kept out of the loop as to the specifics of his sister's job and was told that she worked in an office building, with the number of business men who traveled through her place of work it might as well have been.

It was a cool fall day when Toni was entertaining a Colonel from the UNSC who had apparently been in the area observing the progress of the forces who had been sent to quell the acts of terrorism. She had noticed a John who was unusually shifty, she and the Colonel had been getting used to one another as most do by having a few drinks and a little conversation prior to getting to the actual business. Toni kept looking at the man who was dressed in a brown suit jacket and a strange looking vest; she kept speaking to the Colonel until she heard a scream from the bar tender.

The man had ripped off his jacket showing a vest of C-12 wrapped around his torso. The Colonel turned and saw the man and as he fumbled for his service pistol, he locked eyes with the bomber whose gaze, which was empty of all hesitation, marked the end of their lives.

James awoke the next morning to find his house empty and no messages from his sister telling him that she had to work late, worrying slightly he opened a news feed which displayed the message of "Brothel Bombed, UNSC Officer believed to be Target!" Just as he saw this there was a knock on the door. Glad that this was most likely his sister and relieved that she was okay he began to walk across the room towards the door. As he got closer to the door it hit him. His sister didn't have to knock.

James opened the door to see two Junction Police Officers standing outside his door.

"James Willis?"

They said what had been said to all those who were left behind after a family member was killed in an insurrectionist attack. It was all empty words that meant nothing after they were said. James listened as they talked but all the while he wasn't thinking about what they were telling him, he was thinking instead about revenge.

"Who is responsible for this?" James asked as he clenched his teeth and squeezed his hands together.

"We believe that it's a man named Francis Balird, he is the head of the Junction Freedom Brigade. Look son we have a lot of people we have to see, but in two hours a guy will show up and he will take you to an orphanage until we can track down the rest of your family."

"I don't have any more family, she was it."

"I'm sorry to hear that, but we must be going. I'm sorry for your loss and I wish you the best." The two officers left the apartment and James was glad that they had. Their bedside manner needed a lot of work, and all that aside James had compiled a plan while they were speaking. Luckily for him they had given him the lead that he needed, a name. Now all he needed was a face to match that name.

James had escaped the government after his sister had died, and in order to keep them off his trail he changed his name again. He was once again James Marco. He changed his name more for what it would allow him to do instead stealth from the police it was a disguise that allowed him to infiltrate the Junction Freedom Fighters. This was graduation day for the group and James was the star of the room, he had proven to have had a drive that had gotten him noticed at the highest level of the organization. After the ceremony there was a small party for the group of young men who had just joined the insurrectionist organization. James walked into the restroom and closed a stall door in order to hide what he was doing. The former meat packing plant still stank of the blood of the animals that had been slaughtered their years prior, but the smell didn't bother James, for James was here to put down another animal, the animal who had ordered the bomber who killed his sister. James took off his shoes and removed the parts to his father's pistol, which he had broken down into their simplest and smallest size possible. James put the weapon together as he had so many times before and he was surprising himself with how cool he was about it. He quickly tucked the weapon in his jacket pocket as he exited the stall.

As James exited the restroom he was approached by Balirds bodyguard. James immediately thought he had been discovered but the smile on the man's face told him that there was no knowledge of who he was or what he was planning to do.

"Marco, the captain would like to see you in his office."

"Yes sir." James said as he walked past the bodyguard who was throwing back his glass of beer instead of doing his duty. James walked through the crowd of members and into the office; Balird was sitting in his chair looking out the open window. When James entered he turned just in time to see the fifteen-year-old draw out the pistol, he only said two words. "For Toni." The gun went off and punched a hole straight through Balirds head. James dove out the window and rolled into an upward position and began to run. His revenge had been dealt but he wasn't done. The police got him off the planet and to Reach where he would later join the Marines and continue fighting the Insurrectionists, all as a testament to his sister and all the marines that they killed. The Corp. was his family now, and he would avenge them as he had his sister on Junction.


End file.
